(RALEIGH) -- A coalition of legislators and policy experts wants North Carolina to change the way it treats young offenders in the court system. They are asking the legislature to prosecute 16 and 17 year olds who are charged with misdemeanors as juveniles.

Marc Levin of Right on Crime has studied the impact of North Carolina's court system on teens.  "What we found is North Carolina is the only state in the Union where 16-year-olds are always considered adults even is they just still a candy bar," said Levin.

Levin said teens who enter the adult court system are more likely to commit other offenses. Sixteen and 17-year-olds who commit felonies or violent crimes would still be treated as adults under the new proposal.